Compare towns
Mendon vs Fairlee vs North Hero
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Vermont.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mendon has the youngest population (median age 53.4).
Fairlee has the most renters (42.5% rent).
North Hero has the most expensive homes ($451k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Mendon | Fairlee | North Hero |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,113 |
54Lowest |
1,263Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest VT: +2.8% |
— | +16.9%Highest VT: +2.8% |
| Median age | 53.4±10.5Lowest 24% above VT |
63.5±7.6Highest 47% above VT |
54.2±6.7 26% above VT |
| Fairlee and North Hero are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±5.2 VT: 17.9% |
0%±52.4Lowest VT: 17.9% |
16.8%±4.1Highest VT: 17.9% |
| North Hero and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29%±1.3 VT: 21.4% |
37%±54.9Highest VT: 21.4% |
27.3%±4Lowest VT: 21.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.4%Highest VT: 43.8% |
11.1%Lowest VT: 43.8% |
47.4% VT: 43.8% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.1 VT: 7% |
0%±26.2Lowest VT: 7% |
5.5%±2.6Highest VT: 7% |
| North Hero and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,524±$23k 24% above VT |
$21,071±$13kLowest 74% below VT |
$102,143±$24kHighest 26% above VT |
| North Hero and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,000±$44k 13% above VT |
$277,500±$28kLowest 12% below VT |
$451,400±$66kHighest 43% above VT |
| North Hero and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,230±$651 about the VT average |
$1,057±$620Lowest 14% below VT |
$1,556±$360Highest 26% above VT |
| North Hero and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,342Highest 6% above VT |
$3,750Lowest 26% below VT |
$5,132 about the VT average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 88.6%±42.7 VT: 48.4% |
100%±55.5Highest VT: 48.4% |
56.3%±98.1Lowest VT: 48.4% |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.2% VT: 10.1% |
50%Highest VT: 10.1% |
7.3%Lowest VT: 10.1% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.2% VT: 73.2% |
57.5%Lowest VT: 73.2% |
96.3%Highest VT: 73.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 1 yr newer than VT |
1942Lowest 34 yrs older than VT |
1980Highest 4 yrs newer than VT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 28% below VT |
— | 30 minHighest 28% above VT |
| Work from home | 22.5%±8.9 VT: 16.9% |
23.5%±30.4Highest VT: 16.9% |
15.4%±8.8Lowest VT: 16.9% |
| Fairlee and Mendon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Champlain Islands Unified Union School District #66 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
VT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.